verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/kənˈtɛm/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛm
CMU ARPABET:K AH2 N T EH1 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To disdain; to value at little or nothing; to treat or regard with contempt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To commit an offence of contempt, such as contempt of court; to unlawfully flout (e.g. a ruling).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
look down on with disdain
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He despises the people he has to work for
The professor scorns the students who don't catch on immediately
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: despise, scorn, disdain
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hate, detest
Narrower terms: look down on
History
Etymology
From Middle English contempnen, from Old French contemner, from Latin contemnō (“to scorn”). See also contempt.
Across languages
Translations
37 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
արհամարհել
(arhamarhel)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Bulgarian:
презирам
(preziram)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Bulgarian:
пренебрегвам
(prenebregvam)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Catalan:
menyspreuar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Catalan:
desdenyar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Chinese Mandarin:
鄙夷
(bǐyí)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Chinese Mandarin:
鄙薄
(bǐbó)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Finnish:
halveksia
— to treat or regard with contempt
Finnish:
halveksua
— to treat or regard with contempt
French:
contemner
— to treat or regard with contempt
French:
mépriser
— to treat or regard with contempt
German:
verachten
— to treat or regard with contempt
Hebrew:
בז
(baz)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Hungarian:
lenéz
— to treat or regard with contempt
Hungarian:
megvet
— to treat or regard with contempt
Hungarian:
ócsárol
— to treat or regard with contempt
Italian:
disprezzare
— to treat or regard with contempt
Italian:
disdegnare
— to treat or regard with contempt
Japanese:
蔑む
(sagesumu)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Japanese:
見下す
(mikudasu)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Japanese:
軽蔑する
(keibetsu suru)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Japanese:
軽侮する
(keibu suru)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Māori:
whakapu(w)heto
— to treat or regard with contempt
Māori:
tokoreko
— to treat or regard with contempt
Māori:
whakareko
— to treat or regard with contempt
Māori:
whakamanioro
— to treat or regard with contempt
Portuguese:
desdenhar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Portuguese:
desprezar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Romanian:
a disprețui
— to treat or regard with contempt
Russian:
презира́ть
(prezirátʹ)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Russian:
пренебрега́ть
(prenebregátʹ)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Russian:
попира́ть
(popirátʹ)
— to treat or regard with contempt
Spanish:
despreciar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Spanish:
menospreciar
— to treat or regard with contempt
Swedish:
förakta
— to treat or regard with contempt
Turkish:
küçümsemek
— to treat or regard with contempt
Turkish:
hor görmek
— to treat or regard with contempt
